Ink absorbent pressure rollers for ink recording devices

Abstract

A pressure roller bar for ink recording devices is disclosed wherein the rollers are formed with ink absorbing surface portions. The roller may have a synthetic body with a circumferential recess receiving a replaceable felt ring which projects radially outwardly of remaining portions of the roller.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. In a liquid jet ink recording apparatus utilizing a data carrier advanced past a platen with a hinged biased clamp member carried by the apparatus equipped with pressure rollers for biasing the data carrier against the platen downstream of a recording position, the improvement of anti-smear means including at least the part of the pressure rollers contacting the data carrier being constructed of an absorbent material, the absorbent material being capable of absorbing liquid recording ink from the surface of the data carrier to minimize smear, the pressure rollers rotatably affixed to the clamp member and having a total length less than a width of the data carrier, the pressure rollers including a body rotatably mounted on the clamp member, the body carrying a movable ring of ink absorbent material having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the body and of the clamp member whereby liquid ink on the data carrier not absorbed by the data carrier at a contact position in contact with the pressure rollers will be at least partially absorbed by the ring on the rotatable bodies thereby reducing smear. 
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the absorbent material is felt. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the absorbent material is porous rubber. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the absorbent material is sintered material. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the absorbent material is a hardened foam.